New Guinea impatiens plant named ‘Kiziz’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Kiziz’, characterized by its large light and dark orange bi-colored flowers; upright and very compact growth habit; and very dark green leaves tinged with anthocyanin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Kiziz’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop early-flowering varieties with numerous flowers,freely-branching and uniform plant habit, attractive flower and foliagecolors, and good flower form.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the Inventor of theproprietary selection identified as G26 as the male, or pollen parent,with the proprietary selection identified as A330 as the female, or seedparent.

The cultivar ‘Kiziz’ was discovered and selected by the Inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Gensingen, Germany, in April, 1997.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken atGensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this newcultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kiziz’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kiziz’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Large light and dark orange bi-colored flowers.

2. Upright and very compact growth habit.

3. Very dark green leaves tinged with anthocyanin.

Plants of the new cultivar can be compared to plants of the commercialcultivar ‘Lycia’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,322. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of thenew cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar ‘Lycia’ in the followingcharacteristics:

1. Plants of the new cultivar are more compact than plants of thecultivar ‘Lycia’.

2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves than plants of thecultivar ‘Lycia’.

3. Flowers of plants of the new cultivar are smaller but more round thanflowers of plants of the cultivar ‘Lycia’.

4. Flower color of plants of the new cultivar is light and dark orangewhereas flower color of plants of the cultivar ‘Lycia’ is light pink andorange.

5. Plants of the new cultivar flower about one week earlier than plantsof the cultivar ‘Lycia’.

A detailed comparison of plants of the cultivars ‘Kiziz’ and ‘Lycia’appears in Chart A at the end of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical plant of the cultivar ‘Kiziz’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a comparisonclose-up view of typical flower buds, flowers and upper and lowersurfaces of leaves of the cultivars ‘Kiziz’ (left) and ‘Lycia’ (right).Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ from the actualcolors due to light reflectance.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Kiziz’ have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations,measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in 25-cm hangingbaskets in Encinitas, Calif., under commercial practice in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse with day temperatures averaging 23° C.,night temperatures averaging 19° C., and light levels about 3,000foot-candles. Plants were about 17 weeks old after planting a rootedcutting.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

Classification:

Botanical.—Impatiens hawkeri cultivar ‘Kiziz’.

Commercial.—New Guinea Impatiens cultivar ‘Kiziz’.

Parentage:

Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified asG26.

Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified asA330.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days with 20° C. soil temperature.

Time to develop roots.—About 21 days with 20° C. soil temperature.

Root description.—Fine and fibrous.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Upright and V-shaped; very compact; rounded canopy.

Growth habit.—Low to moderately vigorous. Appropriate for 10 to 20-cmcontainers.

Crop time.—For finished flowering plants grown in a 10-cm container,about 8 to 10 weeks from rooted cuttings are required; for finishedflowering plants grown in a 25-cm container, about 17 weeks from rootedcuttings are required.

Plant size.—Height: About 14 cm. Width or spread: About 19.5 cm.

Lateral branches.—Quantity: About 6. Length: About 11 cm. Diameter:About 8 mm. Internode length: About 1.9 cm. Color: 181B.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, abundant,opposite or in whorls, horizontal to plant. Mostly flat. Length: About8.25 cm. Width: About 3.9 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acuminate. Base:Attenuate. Margin: Entire with ciliation. Texture: Mostly smooth;glossy. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A. Youngfoliage, lower surface: 59A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:Darker than 147A tinged with anthocyanin, close to 59A. Fully expandedfoliage, lower surface: 59A. Venation, upper surface: 59B. Venation,lower surface: 59A. Petiole: Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.Color: 60B.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Light and dark orange bi-colored flowers. Freelyand continuously flowering. Flowers arise from leaf axils. Usually about6 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch. Flowers positoned abovethe foliage and face upward and outward. Flowers rounded rectangular.Flowers persistent.

Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In the garden,flowering is continuous from spring until fall.

Flower size.—Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 5.8 cm. Depth: About 1.5cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1.6 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovoid.Color: 43B.

Petals.—Quantity: Five. Length: Upper petal: About 2.8 cm. Middlepetals: About 2 cm. Lower petals: About 3.2 cm. Width: Upper petal:About 4 cm. Middle petals: About 2.2 cm. Lower petals: About 3 cm.Shape: Cordate. Apex: Cordate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture:Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: Upper petal,brighter than 32A; middle and lower petals, 41C. When opening, lowersurface: 50D. Fully opened, upper surface: Upper petal, mostly 33A(center) and 49B towards lateral margins; middle and lower petals,background 49B, with central lines and towards base 33A, and base, 57A;color fading to 33B (background) and 49C (central areas/lines andtowards base) with subsequent development. Fully opened, lower surface:40C to 40D.

Spur.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Shape: Narrow and curved. Color: 2D tingedwith 36A.

Peduncles.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Angle: Greater than 45° from vertical.Strength: Strong. Color: 145C.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Five, anthers fused,filaments free. Anther shape: Obovate. Anther size: 3 mm by 5 mm. Anthercolor: 10B. Amount of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: 10D. Gynoecium:Five-loculate fused. Pistil number: One. Pistil length: About 4 mm.Stigma color: 60A. Ovary color: 144A.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance to pathogenscommon to New Guinea Impatiens has not been observed.

Seed development: Seed production has not been observed.

CHART A CHARACTERISTIC ‘KIZIZ’ ‘LYCIA’ PLANT HEIGHT About 14 cm About 20cm PLANT WIDTH About 19.5 cm About 26 cm VIGOR Low to moderate ModerateLEAF LENGTH About 8.25 cm About 10 cm LEAF WIDTH About 3.9 cm About 5 cmPETIOLE LENGTH About 1.8 cm About 3 cm FLOWER About 6 by 5.8 cm About7.5 by 6.5 cm DIAMETER PETAL COLOR, Upper petal, mostly Upper petal,mostly MATURE, 33A (center), 49B 40A (center), 50D UPPER SURFACE towardslateral towards lateral margins; middle and margins; middle and lowerpetals, lower petals, background 49B, background 50D, central lines andcentral lines 40A to towards base 33A, 40B, base 57B base 57A PETALCOLOR, 40C to 40D 41B to 50D towards MATURE, margins LOWER SURFACE PETALCOLOR, Background, 33B; Background, 56B; FADING TO central areas/linescentral areas/lines, and towards base, 49C 40C to 40D SPUR LENGTH About5.5 cm About 4.5 cm SPUR COLOR 2D tinged with 36A Base, 59A; apex, 144APEDUNCLE About 4.8 cm About 2.8 cm LENGTH PEDUNCLE COLOR 145C 149B

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiensplant named ‘Kiziz’, as illustrated and described.